


A New Order

by lovingdriver



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, M/M, POV Ben Solo, POV Rey (Star Wars), Reylo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22261177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovingdriver/pseuds/lovingdriver
Summary: This story takes the events that occur at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, and twists them around to get the ending I know I wanted, and what I assume others wanted as well.After Exogol and the fall of the Final Order, Rey and Ben work together to start a new life, and plan the birth of the next Jedi Order.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32
Collections: Star Wars





	1. After Exogol

_Story picks up as Ben is crawling out of the pits of Exogol, and he finds Rey dead on the floor._

Ben’s POV:

My eyes flickered open, and the first thing I noticed was those flashing lights that lit up the sky and electrified the stars had dimmed to nothing. The sight of X-Wings dashing around above me, and the near sound of explosions and collapsing star-destroyers danced through my ears. I blink, trying to get into focus. My body felt like it was weighed down under rocks, and my lungs rose and collapsed at a nerve-wracking pace. It was only a matter of seconds before I remembered where I was and what had happened before I landed down here, getting knocked cold by the impact.

Rey. She’s up there. Is she alive? I tempt the force for answers, hoping to sense her near me. We were so close, I knew it. How far must I have fell to not be able to feel her anymore?

She can’t be gone. She can’t.

I knew there was only one way to find out, so I manage to throw my hands over my side and put enough strength on my knees. The pain was excruciating, the feeling of my bones clashing together was only comparable to my body getting ripped in two. Finally, on my feet, I see that the climb back up to the top was longer than I thought. I knew there was only one way out, so I started my trek. I would either make it or die trying.

She’s up there. She’s close. I feel it.

I try not to scream in agony with every lift of my arm, the farther up I got the more the reality of falling back to the bottom set in. It felt as though the end would never come, and I’d be stuck here climbing forever. Was this all a dream? A sick game Palpatine was playing? I twitch, my body rejecting the vision of him. My mind was cloudy, but I knew that there was a way out of here, and I only had so much left.

I throw my hand up and feel it slam onto the concrete above me, lifting myself back to the ground floor and falling there to catch my breath. My legs were to weak to get up and walk, so dragging myself away from this never-ending hole was the only option that I had. I can’t help but grunt as I slide myself forward, the pain becoming earth shattering at this point. Once I could feel the light from the hole in the roof above me, I look up to find her. My breath hitched in my throat, blinking a couple times to see if maybe my mind was playing with me. It wasn’t until I was closer to her that I felt her presence in the force was gone, the light that radiated off her and into me was replaced with a blank slate, nothing there but deafening silence. It was heavy, and the loss put a pressure on my back like no other. She laid there, still and cold, as if defeating the emperor took everything she had left. My mother’s saber rose gold in color, and my grandfather’s as well, laid at her side. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I felt an overwhelming urge to hold her. There was no one here for her and the darkness made me realize, in the oddest way, that It was just us. I allow myself to scoop her up, resting her on my forearm, letting her head rest on my shoulder. I never realized how light she was. She carried the galaxy on her shoulders, yet she carried herself as if none of it even existed. I can’t help but look around us, overwhelmed by the damage she caused trying to end this war once and for all. The walls crumbled around her, the once tall statues of the Sith lords who came before laid in piles on the stone ground. She fought hard, like she always does. She fought for herself when I couldn’t fight for her.

I bring her close to me, pressing my chest to hers in a desperate attempt to feel her warmth, almost as if I forgot for one second that she wasn’t here anymore. My body started to shake; the feeling of a loss so great taking over me. This wasn’t the force, it was me. I didn’t know what this feeling was. Like half of my being had been ripped away from me, like my mind wasn’t inside of me anymore, it was with her. It was looking for her like a lost animal. I shake my head, trying to make sense of the being on my arms.

Looking at her again, I finally understood the feeling that had me so lost. I wasn’t mad, I obviously wasn’t happy.

Seeing her face, bruised and bloody by being thrown around, the sweat that had formed at her brow from the energy being lurched from her body. None of these things made me feel the way I thought they would, they made me sad.

A kind of sad that I can’t describe. An overwhelming, blinding, blood pumping, stomach churning sadness. Something that would probably kill me if prolonged. I close my eyes, hoping that looking away would bring relief, but I could only see her face. Her eyes glued to mine when we connected, the way she looked when she saw me coming around the corner. She knew I came for her. The steady beat of her heart told me so, I felt it as if it was my own.

My body racks with a sob, not sure of what to do now. Where do I go from here? What can I do to fix this?

And then I remember the feeling of her hand on my chest, the warmth of her energy flowing into me, the light engulfing me as she healed my wounds, physical and mental. I remembered how she looked at me, that sparkle in her eyes. She saved me. She gave part of herself to me to save someone who didn’t deserve it.

It hit me. I knew what I needed to do, and I had the strength to do it. I had the strength for her.

My hand rested on her stomach, my grip only tightening as I close my eyes and call out to the force what I needed.

_Please. I’m begging. I need to do this. Let me do this._

I felt my body weakening the second it started. I felt the warmth she left me with travel out through my fingers and into her. Almost immediately, her body started to react. I felt it. I hoped she’d feel it too. A moment goes by with us like this, my soul being drained as hers’ refilled.

My eyes started to droop, but her hand connecting to mind caused them to fly open. Her eyes, bright and true, met mine with confusion. She had no idea what was happening, and to be honest neither did I. She quickly sits up, her hands resting on my arms for strength. We were both weak, and I needed her to balance just as much as she needed me.

_Just for a second, she needed me. Someone needed me._

“Ben?” She whispers, the weight that normally came with that name, my name, was gone. Only replaced with light. Blinding light.

I look at her, trying to memorize as much as of her face as I could with however much time I had left. This was the closest we’d ever been before; I could feel her breath on my cheek. She slid her hand up to my face, her fingers disappearing into my hair. I wanted more than anything to close my eyes and let myself get lost in her touch. I allowed myself the chance to take her in, but as I was making my second round of analyzing her face, she crashed her lips onto mine. My brain fogged immediately, her light wrapped around me, making me realize that it was our light. The light we shared wrapped around us both, and it’s as if my body acted for me, wrapping one of my arms around her waist and the other around the back of her neck.

It ended to quick, and she pulled back to look at me. Everything about her caused my mouth to contort into a smile like no other. The muscles in my face singed with pain, not used to the way the smile was making them move. I can’t remember the last time I felt this way. She smiled back at me, almost in as much disbelief as I was. It wasn’t until I allowed myself to come back to reality that the cold engulfed me. My eyes became heavy, and the fogginess in my head that was once caused by the enigma in front of me was now due to the deterioration of my energy. The force was calling out to me, but not in a way I knew. It felt as though it was calling me elsewhere, and even I knew what that meant.

Her eyes furrowed, like she didn’t know why I was acting so funny. I think she caught on, her arms wrapping around me to soften the blow of me falling to the ground. Everything was blurry, except for her. She was crystal clear. Everything about her was so visible to me. How can I leave her here? Will she be okay?

Of course, she will. She’s Rey. She doesn’t need me. She doesn’t need anyone, for that matter. But the galaxy needs her, she must be here. I don’t.

It’s better off this way.

With a final glance at her face, my eyes close. I wasn’t sure where I was heading next. But I knew that wherever that was, I’d be okay knowing she was here. Alive.

It’s better off this way.

_She’s_ better off this way.


	2. Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben, waking up in a place he doesn't know, is confronted with news he isn't sure how to handle. What could make that more confusing? The person he's getting the news from.

Ben’s POV:

My eyes fly open, the vast dark around me made me wonder where I was. Looking down at my hands, the blue light flashing off them reminded me of the events prior.

Do I stand up? Do I lay here?

“You know, I always thought you were like your dad. You both took forever to take a hint.”

That voice caused a ripple to fly down my spine, and a ghost like warmth followed behind it. I allow myself to get to my feet and turn around, being greeted by the face of a women I thought I’d never see again.

“Mom?” I stutter, not sure how to approach her. Could I even approach her? Did she even remember me as well as she thinks she does? I don’t even remember.

“Ben. It’s been so long. Do you know how long I’ve waited for you?” She says, walking towards me with that intense gaze she always had, reminding me of all those times I saw her watching me as a kid, making sure I didn’t run off or hurt myself with one of the tools we always had laying around my childhood home.

“A long time. What are you doing here? Where are we?” I look around, looking for answers while also allowing myself to try and calm down the shaking in my hands from seeing her again.

“You’re stuck in between, Ben. I’ve been waiting here for you. I knew you’d come.” She knew? I don’t know why I’m shocked, she always knew everything. She felt everything. It was one of my favorite things about her. She always knew what needed to be done. It’s something Snoke used to ridicule me for. _“You’re so much like your mother,_ ” he’d say. _“Never in touch with what’s important. Always worried about other people.”_

“In between? What is that? Why are you here?” She places her hand on my arm, the shock of it sending a wave throughout me.

“Well, I doubt I need to tell you this, Ben, but you’re dead. You gave everything you had for her.” She smiles lightly, I knew she was thinking of Rey, just as I am.

“I know, I know. But is this where we go?” I ask, still confused as too where I was standing.

“No, son. You’re a step behind that. You’re here because there’s still something that can be done to help you. To help her.” I raise my eyebrow, still not sure what she was talking about. Help us? How? “Am I missing something here?” My reply causes her to laugh, that same laugh that I loved so much as a kid, the laugh that only few people could make her do. When my dad would come home from one of his trips and scoop us both into his arms, she’d release a laugh that would brighten the dark in any galaxy. I smile sheepishly at her, trying to hide it.

“You’re a dyad, Ben. It’s never as simple as ‘one lives on and the other dies.’ The connection you share breaks the bounds of everything, even the force. You gave it all for her, knowing what was on the other side of that sacrifice. But the other side is different for people like you two.” She says, walking circles around me like she used too when I got in trouble for getting into something I wasn’t supposed too. “She needs you. You need her. One of you can’t be here and the other there, the force needs that balance and it will only get it if you’re near each other.” My mind takes this in as well as it can, but I knew what she meant. All that time we spent apart; I would punish myself for feeling the light when I trained myself to feel nothing but dark. I wondered why I was like that, why I couldn’t complete what was started before me. Why I wasn’t enough like my grandfather. It all made sense now. There was never a chance for me to completely give myself to the dark because she’s been with me this whole time. She was the light I could never explain.

_“With powerful light comes powerful dark, and in between, a balance.”_

When Luke used to say that to me, I never really understood it. I thought you were either light or dark, and that was that. There was no way to fall in the middle.

But I understand now. She was my balance.

“So, what does this mean? I’m gone, Mom. I can’t just pop myself back.” She laughs again, and I allow myself to smile at her for real this time. Our eyes meet and I feel like a small child again, a kid who loved his mom more than anything.

“No, you can’t, but I can send you back.” She says, her hands coming up to connect with mine. “I’m gone too Ben, but I’m here because I’m not completely gone. I still have what you need to go back to her. I want you to take it so I can move on, and you can return to where you belong.” I shift backwards, astonished at what she just said. “You want me to take your life? You want to die, for me?” She shakes her head, almost amused by the words flying out of my mouth. “Ben, the moment I became your mother I knew that if need be, I would die for you. I wasn’t there like I should have been, I failed you. I will live the rest of my life swarmed by guilt and pain over what could have been had I done you right. This will give me peace. This is what I want.” She says, taking my hands in hers again. My lips are quivering for some reason, not sure what to say to her. “There isn’t any other way?” I ask, waiting for her to pull some solution out like she always did before. “Ben, you know this is the only way.”

I close my eyes, frustrated and lost as too why it had to be this way. She’s my _mother_ , I was never able to change that, even when I tried. She was a part of me I could never get rid of, and for some reason I was always glad for that.

“Mom, I just-“ She stops me dead in my tracks, directing the conversation elsewhere. “I love you, son. I always will. Nothing you say or do will change that.” I gasp silently, the pain from those words digging farther into me then I thought possible.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Mom. I- I love you too.” The tears that I didn’t know were falling splashed onto our joined hands, and she squeezes them tighter at the sight of them.

“It’s time. Are you ready?” She asks, but she starts before I could even answer. The light that I felt before wraps around me again, the blasting pain floats away and I feel the force calling out for me again, engulfing me in its embrace. I open my eyes once more to see her, but she’s gone.

_“Be brave, Ben. Be brave.”_

_“Always, Mom. Always.”_

I drink in the sound of her voice one last time before closing my eyes, allowing myself to be taken where I was supposed to be.

Back to her.


	3. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey deals with the aftermath of Ben's death, not knowing that he was already on his way back to her.

Rey’s POV:

I needed to get off the floor. I need to stop crying. I’ve been here for at least 2 hours, weeping and hoping that he’ll appear and say this was all a sick joke. He can’t be gone.

Why did he do this? God, he’s so stupid. He’s so _fucking_ stupid.

I remember the way out, but I didn’t feel like my legs would make the walk back. I feel like laying here, dying in this spot, finding him wherever he is and slapping him for pulling a stunt like this.

I miss him. I didn’t get to tell him. I didn’t get to say what I’ve wanted to say since he held his hand out to me in Snoke’s throne room, begging me to stay with him.

_I miss him._

Looking around me gives me nausea, the rubble piled up at my side, cold air prickling my arms like thousands of daggers. Everywhere my eyes landed, I saw his face. The steady rise and fall of his chest and the warmth of his hands on my body. The pain was like nothing I’d experienced before, tearing me apart from my head to my toes. I could scream, no one would hear me, I’m alone here.

_I’m alone._

I release a shriek louder than I can fathom, so loud the ground around me rumbles and my throat burns from the release. I taste blood in my mouth, probably from getting thrown to the floor after the emperor took all my energy. I refuse to say his name, I refuse to give him power.

I’m not him. I’m _nothing_ like him. He’s a fucking monster.

I feel anger, hot rage rising in my stomach. My hands start to shake, my pulse quickening with every passing second. He took him. He made it impossible. He ruined everything.

I’m not sure if I should cry or scream again, the numbness of this loss taking over me. I’ve never felt so alone, so lost in a galaxy that I just saved. I could go back to base, but for some reason it’s the last place I want to be.

I close my eyes, clutching the saber Ben wielded as he came to my aide. The energy radiating from it was cold, dark almost. It wasn’t his energy; it was something else. In all honesty, it was probably me. The light I felt so strongly within me prior to this was oddly quiet. The force felt empty as well, like the complete purpose of it was useless to me now.

I slam the saber to the ground, wanting it out of my grasp, desperate to escape its power over me.

The cold became unbearable, and I open my eyes long enough to notice Ben's sweater laying on the ground by my foot. An uncontrollable sob escapes my body, and I slam my hand over my mouth to silence it. If I start crying now, I’ll never stop.

I let my free hand rest on the hem of the top that adorned his torso, the fabric still warm from his presence. It was soft, and I wondered to myself if he’d been wearing this under that awful suit this whole time. The thought brings a small smile to my lips.

I didn’t want to leave it here, the thought of it was just wrong.

He’d want me to take it. Right?

I pick it up, holding it tightly to my chest and swallowing, trying to fight back the tears I knew were coming. Once I was able to breathe again, I allowed myself to put it on. It was far to big for me, the end coming down to my mid-thigh. The warmth it radiated calmed me for the time being, a quiet peace washing over me with every passing second. This is a feeling that will be so hard to replace.

_Falling for him was like falling from grace. It was something so sacred, and nothing could’ve prepared me for it. He was everything I’d ever been warned about, but if you’d ask me, I’d do it all again. Looking at him made whatever planet I was on at the time spin slow._

_It hurts to remember the moment we met, the touch he planted and the look in his eyes. How did he have such an effect on me, how did I not know what he’d end up meaning to me?_

I open my eyes, hoping that my surroundings will turn my brain off, at least for a moment.

I hear shuffling around me, and the cold that was so pungent was clouded by intense warmth. I immediately raise to me feet, prepared to finish what I started if need be. I gaze at the sabers on the floor, allowing them to find their place in my hands with the force guiding them. The blue light radiated off my face, my arms ready to swing at whatever was stupid enough to come at me.

It wasn’t until he stepped into the light that my body registered who it was.

My hands lose grip on the sabers, and I hear them hit the floor and roll away. My hand flies to my mouth, unable to do anything other than stand there and look at him.

_Him._

Ben, clad in a white robe- like the ones the Jedi wore in ancient times, stood before me. His hair, once matted to his head with blood laid perfectly atop his head. The cuts and bruises that danced across his skin had disappeared. He looked almost angelic, like I could look but not touch.

I think he sensed my unease, taking a step closer to me. I backtrack away, scared this is all a game.

_Please don’t be a game. Please._

“Are- are you dead? Am I seeing things?” I rush out, unable to breath due to the sight in front of me. He laughed quietly, the sound sending ripples throughout my body. “It’s me, Rey. I’m here. Are you okay?” He asks, which causes me to let out a laugh I didn’t know I had in me.

“You’re asking me if I’m okay? Ben, you DIED!” I say, images of his dead body flash through my head, the thoughts making me dizzy. He comes closer, and I let him. Eventually we’re eye to eye, his hands resting at his side. I feel warmth from him, which _normally_ dead people _can’t_ do.

_Rey, control yourself. You’re spiraling_.

I raise my hand, deciding where I’m going to place it. Naturally, I rest it on his cheek, his smooth skin brushing against mine.

_I can touch him. He’s not dead, I can feel him. He’s here. With me._

I finally let out the sob I’d been holding in all this time, and I fall into his chest trying to muffle the sound. He gently wraps his arms around me, cradling me into his grasp. I’m so overwhelmed, and I’m not sure what is happening. He’s here, but he died in my arms. What happened to get him back here, and why did he come back to me?

He raises his hands to my face, bringing me out of his chest. I allow my eyes to meet his, and it’s then that I know.

“Leia. You saw Leia.” He swallows hard, closing his eyes. I stutter, trying to take back what I said. “I- I’m sorry, w- we don’t need to talk about this. There are so many things we should talk about, like how you got back here and where you went, and what happens now? Like, do you go somewhere, and I go somewhere- “ He cuts me off, his lips pressing to mine in a rush, as if he wanted me to shut up, which I’m sure is nothing new to him.

I wrap my arms around his neck, the reach putting stress on the muscles in my arms. The pain was invisible at this point, and even if it wasn’t, I didn’t care. I couldn’t. I feel his arms wrap around my waist, lifting me ever so slightly so he didn’t tower above me as high as normal. I could stay like this forever, I wanted to. I never wanted him to let me go, the though of it was unbearable.

I don’t know how long we stood there, wrapped around each other. Eventually he pulled away, looking so deep into my eyes that I’m sure he was looking for something.

“Ben, what?” He looks down, swaying back and forth ever so slightly.

“I did see my mom. She’s the reason I’m here. She sent me back here, to you.”

I raise an eyebrow, trying to wrap my head around everything I've seen in the last 20 minutes.

“She sent you back to me, for what?” I ask, trying to make it sound like I wasn’t completely lost. He rests one hand on my waist and uses the other to brush his hair behind his ear, and I lose focus staring at him. It takes hearing his voice to snap me back to reality.

“She knows about us. The dyad. She says we need each other for there to be balance. That we can’t be too far from each other or else things will fall apart. My dying would have ruined everything, and you being here alone would have just made it worse.” He says, and for the first time today, I understood the information being given to me.

“Plus, the idea of you being here without me was unbearable.” He murmurs, and I let a small smile cross my face. Then, I remember the dumb stunt he pulled, and all that anger that had dissolved rose inside of me, and it needed to come out.

So, I slapped him.

I slapped Ben Solo.

And it felt _good._

He gasps, raising his hand to cover his cheek. “Wha- what was that for?” He says, clearly stunned. “That’s for dying. In my arms, nonetheless! How stupid are you?” I say, lit up with rage. Ben, still in shock, rubbed his face trying to appease the red mark I left. “I saved you! I knew things would’ve been better off with you here, and I knew I wouldn’t have survived without you, so I saved you! Why are you mad?” He says, squinting his eyes at me in confusion. His answer appeased the anger in me, replacing it with guilt.

“I’m sorry, I really am. I just- looking at you like that is not something I’d like to ever see again.” I say, stepping closer to him. “We both saw things we’d rather not repeat today,” he says, placing his free hand on my arm, clearly feeling the blood seeping through his sweater from the gash that I obtained at some point during the fight. “It’s over now, but you need help. You’re hurt.” I wince, the pressure from his hand caused it to burn. He clearly notices, looking around trying to remember the way out.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” He says, and I look up at him with the same confusion he’d met me with minutes prior. “Ben, where are we going to go? If I take you back to the base, their heads are going to explode.” He shrugs, not bothered. “Have you forgotten? I’m Ben Solo, they have to let me in.” He smirks, causing my stomach to do flips inside of me. I take his hand, letting him lead me out of this place of horror hoping to never return.

Once we reach outside, the skies clear from the lack of the Final Order fleets and rebel ships, he looks at me once again.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask, entertained by the look on his face. His eyes trail me top to bottom, the smirk from before plastered back on his face like he knew what it did to me.

“Nothing really. Nice sweater, by the way.” I laugh, remembering me putting it on while in a daze. “Thanks, I can’t remember where I got it from.” He laughs with me, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around me. He leans down by my ear, whispering just loud enough for me to hear.

“I’m going to need that, you know. Your choice on how I take it back.” I cough loudly, all the blood in me rushing to my face. I slap his arm, trying to make him leave me alone. “Not now, Ben. Bad time.” He puts his hands up in surrender, laughing silently to himself. I smile, the sight of him happy made me feel like I was floating.

“But, if you’re good, we can discuss it later.” I say, running past him. He grins, chasing after me, but I made it to Luke’s ship first. His smile falls at the sight of it, clearly remembering it from his childhood.

“We can take the TIE fighter if you want, Ben.” I say. He shakes his head no, resting a hand on the wing of his uncle’s pride and joy. “No, no I’m fine. Let’s get going, I can’t stand it here anymore.” He says. I nod in agreement, itching to leave.

He looks out at Exogol as I pilot us away from the destroyed planet. His eyes gleamed, emotions I couldn’t determine danced across his face. “Let’s go home.” I say, hoping to distract him from outside. “Wherever that is.” He quips quietly, nervousness clear in his tone.

I smile at him, meeting his gaze with hope, a feeling I was sure I’d never feel again.

“We’ll worry about that later. Together.”


	4. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey return to the Resistance base to confront the others!

Ben’s hand on Rey’s hip was the only thing keeping her calm as they landed Luke’s ship on the gravel pavement. The soft rumble of cheering and clapping boomed from below them, clearly fellow resistance members happy to see her home. Rey laughed, fighting the urge to jump out and hug everyone. Turning back to look at Ben, she caught the tremor in his hands; from fear, she assumed. He caught her looking, forcing a weak smile to appease her.

“We can leave, Ben. Wherever you need to be, I can take you.” Ben leaned forward, pressing himself into Rey’s back. She closed her eyes, taking in the feeling of his touch. He carried an energy that she couldn’t describe, a confidence and a weakness all raveled into one. “No, you’re fine. I’m fine. We’re going to be fine. What’s the worst that could happen? A firing squad forms a circle around me and then they throw my dead body off the side of that cliff over there?” He lifts his chin, gesturing to the lookout that pored over into the waterfall where we got our drinking water. Rey shook her head in silence, but the anxiety that radiated off him gave her peace, quite oddly. It was nice to know that he felt things the way she did, something _Kylo Ren_ could never have done. It was very _‘Ben’_ of him to get nervous. She found herself squeezing his hand in her own, trying to reassure him that the outcome of this mess won’t be as bad as he thought, but even she had her worries. How would Finn react? Or Poe? Her head spun with questions, her breath quickening with every second.

“Rey?” Ben’s voice passed through the haze clouding her mind, noticing that she had drifted off into the unknown. “Aren’t you supposed to be the one calming me down? Or do you need me to walk you out of here instead?” He laughs quietly, his breath fanning out over her neck. She closed her eyes, counting to 10 as slow as possible before popping the hood above them, Ben’s hand quickly raised to his hair, trying to keep the wind from moving in each direction.

“Stay here until I call you, okay?” He nods, squeezing her hand just as she did before.

Rey leaps over the side of the ship, her feet slamming into the ground under her. She winces in pain, her bones still weak. She knew she needed medical attention, but that was just going to have to wait until this situation was… Fixed, if that was even possible. Her head wracked with different ways she could explain this to them, trying to find which option had the least chance of ending with blaster-fire and a dead Ben. She pushes the idea away, her eye twitching at the thought.

 _“Me and Ben are together. He’s here with me.”_ Too simple.

 _Ben came to Exegol and got thrown off a cliff! How crazy is that?”_ Too stupid.

 _“Guys! Guess What? I have a… Boyfriend? Maybe?”_ This was a no go. Was Ben even her boyfriend? That conversation sounds so fruitless at this point, after everything they’ve been through.

Rey shakes her head, advancing forward into the celebration. She looks around, searching for her friends when she finally lands on Finn. He looked shocked, to say the least. Like he didn’t expect her there. Poe stood next to him; his head cocked to the side in confusion. Smiling, she meets them halfway in a hug. She wasn’t sure how long they stood there for, probably minutes. Eventually, they pull away to get a good look at her. The rest of the resistance crowds around them, cheering to themselves at her return.

“Rey, are you okay? I thought you were dead!” Finn exclaims, shaking her at her shoulders, probably trying to make sure she wasn’t a figment of his imagination. She nods, still uncertain of how to explain this to them. The closer they got to the end of their reunion; the faster sweat brimmed on her forehead. Though he wasn’t that far, she could feel Ben through the bond; panic and worry swarmed him and be default, pored into her. Her breath hitched in her throat, alarming Poe.

“What’s going on? How are you alive, and how did you get here?” He says, crossing his arms over his chest. Rey closes her eyes tightly once again, reaching out to Ben.

_“Almost time, you ready?”_

_“Born ready, baby.”_

Rey coughs, clearing her throat before starting.

“Before I say anything, I need you all to lay down your weapons. If you have a blaster; drop it.” The tension in the crowd increased tenfold, everyone taking a step backwards out of worry. Slowly, people started throwing their arms to the ground. All that was left was Finn and Poe, who reluctantly dropped theirs.

_“Now.”_

She didn’t need to look behind her, everyone’s reaction told her what she needed to know. She heard his steps grow closer and closer until he placed himself right behind her, his hand coming up to rest on her lower back in an act of reassurance. Finn immediately charged at him, Rey slamming her hand into his chest to halt his actions. Ragged breathing caused a shake to surge through Finn’s body, his eyes coming to meet Rey’s with concern. She shakes her head, silently asking him to stand down. He falls back, returning to his spot next to Poe. Rey takes this as a signal to continue.

“I am Palpatine’s granddaughter.” The statement caused an overwhelming gasp to rise from the Resistance. Rey raises her hand, gesturing for silence. “I didn’t know. It was Ben who told me. He was offered this fleet by Palpatine himself, in exchange for me. I thought this whole time that Kylo Ren was hunting me down to get access to the galaxy’s largest fleet, but I was wrong.” She turns around to look at Ben, his eyes locking onto hers immediately. She grabs his hand, holding it by her side. Finn allowed his mouth to hang open, waiting for Rey to explain the scene happening before his eyes.

“Last year, before the Battle of Crait, Ben offered me his hand and I almost took it. I almost gave everything for him and at the time, I thought it was out of convenience. It wasn’t until later I figured out it was because we were connected. We were one. A dyad, some may call it.” Some people nodded along, clearly having heard of the term dyad before. Even Rey knew it was rare, but not impossible. Ben tightened his grip on her hand, encouraging her to continue.

“And I thought that was it. I was just going to be connected to him forever and there was nothing I could do about it. But It never was that, it was because… Because I love him.” Rey felt warmth pour through the bond, a small smile raising to her lips. The crowd stood still, not sure how to take what she was saying.

“I love him. And I thought I would never see him again. I went to Exegol with every intention of dying there if I had too. I knew I would do what needed to be done to save you all. My family.” Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Rose nod her head at her, showing her approval. The fear that built inside her was crumbling slowly, only replaced with confidence in the man beside her.

“It wasn’t until I felt him near that I realized that Kylo Ren wasn’t hunting me to turn me in as bait, it was Ben Solo coming to save me. To help me defeat my biggest enemy, _our_ biggest enemy. He charged through the soldiers and met me where I stood. Palpatine drained us of our shared energy and threw Ben into a pit. I may have killed my grandfather, but I died there. My heart stopped, I turned cold and blue.” Finn winced at what she said, trying not to imagine his friend’s lifeless body laid out in front of him.

“Ben crawled out of that hole and came to me. He gave me his force energy. He sacrificed himself to save me. I then watched him die.” The farther Rey got in her speech, the more she realized it didn’t make any sense. While some got the idea, others gawked at them with raised eyebrows and hanging mouths. She couldn’t blame them, it sounded crazy to even her.

“Wait,” Poe interrupted, stepping alarmingly close to Ben, probably trying to get a read on him. “If he died, how the hell is he here now? Magic? Did you wave the force wand and bring him back?” Rey went to step in between them, already prepping a response, but Ben started before she could.

“It was my mom.” Just the mention of Leia made the energy in the crowd dip farther then Rey could imagine, and it wasn’t just them. Ben saying her name made the bond go cold. It physically hurt him to speak of her.

“Your mom? That’s General Organa to you, Ren.” Finn said, stepping forward to meet Poe. Rey shoved him back again, eyeing him harshly. Finn threw his hands up in surrender, shuffling backwards.

“No,” Ben started, clutching to Rey as tight as he could, using the bond to calm himself. “She’s my mom. She’s always been my mom. She sacrificed herself for me. She knew my place was here, with her.” His eyes meet hers, and it took all of Rey not to reach a hand up and stroke his face. He breaks their gaze, returning his attention to the task at hand.

“I know you don’t trust me. I can give you many reasons not too, but I’m not here to hurt you. I’m not here to lead your forces or boss you around. I’m not here as Kylo Ren.”

“Then who are you here as, huh?” One of our pilots asks, stepping out of the crowd to face him. Her mother had died during the Battle at Star Killer Base, so this question was clearly personal.

Ben steps past Rey, past Finn and Poe, and stops himself in front of this girl. She was young, clearly a new pilot who had just lost her mom. Rey felt the bond twist from sad into a form of remorse, regret, and oddly, hope.

“Ben. My name is Ben. What’s yours?” She gulps, the sight of him clearly making her nervous. Rey couldn’t blame the girl, that’s exactly how he made her feel at first. The memory brings an odd smile to her face. Though it was in such dark terms, she’d never forget the first time she met Ben. The way their eyes met. She _hated_ him. The idea of hating the man in front of her felt impossible now.

“Kalana.” She answers slowly, not sure how she should approach the conversation. Ben nods, looking around at the others.

“Kalana, it’s my fault it’s like this. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry to you all. I did this and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you…to her.” Ben returns his gaze to Rey at the end, causing her heart to pound faster. Rey was stunned at how much she loved him. And he loved her. She felt it.

The silence was still deafening, no one had the courage to make a peep. It wasn’t until a pathway broke through the crowd that Rey saw who was approaching that it all made sense.

_Chewie._

The first sight of Ben made him freeze up, their eyes locking together. Ben couldn’t breathe, the hair on his arms raising at the sight of Chewie, his childhood counterpart, the one who would sneak him on the falcon after dark and show him what all the buttons did, and the one who would carry him around when his father was too busy too. Ben wasn’t sure he’d ever see chewie again, and the sight of him sent a surge up his spine he hadn’t felt since he last saw his parents.

Chewie slowly advanced towards Ben, his blank face making it hard for Rey to read into his emotions. Was he mad? The last he saw Ben; he was watching Han die. Rey shook her head, fighting the vision away.

He stops right in front of Ben, just inches from him. Chewie’s eyes never left his, as if they were having a silent conversation. Rey was just about to run over there when she saw Chewie reach across to Ben and throw him in his arms.

They were…hugging.

Ben was hugging someone that wasn’t Rey. The sight was mind boggling to everyone else, but Rey couldn’t help but smile, and neither could Ben.

He wrapped his arms around Chewie, his eyes closing. The familiar feeling sent him back to his childhood, the sight of his father and chewie fighting over Ben’s bedtime and which one of them was going to teach him how to clean the seats on the Falcon. It was the first time in so long that Ben felt at home. Like he knew what home was.

Wiping tears from her eyes, Rey charged past Finn and Poe and the crowd. It wasn’t until Ben pulled away from Chewie that he saw her coming, his arms opening to catch her in a hug. Their energies so close sent a ripple of energy strong enough to affect those around them. It was then that everyone knew deep down that everything they said was true. Rey opened her eyes to see small smiles forming on the faces of her friends, even Finn nodding at her softly. Poe was the last to see it but watching Ben’s face when he looked at Rey was enough to teach him all he needed to know.

Eventually, the crowd broke away, leaving Ben and Rey alone to bask in the sunlight surrounding them.

“So,” Ben started, placing his lips on her forehead, pulling her in to his chest. “What now?” Rey wrapped her arms around his waist, closing the space between them.

“Nothing. Welcome home, Ben.”

Hello friends! This story isn’t done! I will be writing more, I just wanted to get the initial story line straight out of TROS wrapped up so we can start expanding the romance portion of this story independently. Next chapter up ASAP!

Xo’s- Lizzie


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